Dave Vincent- OH

Clermont man inches toward recovery from West Nile virus
Hamilton Co. mosquito ills also suspected

By Maggie Downs
Enquirer staff writer
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UNION TWP. - Dave Vincent can put a shirt over his head by himself.

It's those little milestones that mean much more, now that the Clermont County man is recovering from West Nile virus.

Vincent, 47, is the region's first confirmed case this year of the virus, which attacks the central nervous system and is transmitted to humans by mosquitoes.

He was diagnosed on Aug. 5. The Clermont County Health District was notified Aug. 8 and confirmed the case.

"Right now it feels great to be alive, which is no understatement," Vincent said.

Most people who are bitten by a West Nile-infected mosquito never get sick, with about 80 percent showing no symptoms at all.

Up to 20 percent have some symptoms, such as fever, headache and nausea.

Vincent, finance director for Fairfield Ford, is one of the few who developed serious symptoms, which appear within two to 15 days after being infected.

His aches began in late July, around the time he was vacationing in Tampa, Fla.

"Really, I thought I was just tired, and I blamed it on the heat," he said.

After returning to Ohio, Vincent's temperature blazed around 103 degrees. He suffered almost a complete loss of upper body strength. His brain developed some swelling. His vocal cords were temporarily paralyzed. Muscle spasms made his body shake.

"You could see the nerves underneath my arm just jumping," he said.

He spent a few days in the intensive care unit at Mercy Hospital Anderson, as well as some time in the emergency room. After tests, the doctors determined the infection was West Nile virus.

"There isn't a part of my body this didn't attack," Vincent said.

The Clermont County Health District collected mosquitoes from Vincent's property twice last week. The mosquitoes were sent to the Ohio Department of Health for tests to see if they match West Nile samples. The Clermont agency is awaiting results.

"We have not had any positive batches [of mosquitoes] that we have sent previously [this season]," said Health Commissioner Janet Rickabaugh.

"It is likely that this will be positive. We're assuming the contact was here," she said.

Last year in Ohio, there were 12 confirmed human cases of the virus and two deaths.

A Hamilton County woman had a suspected case of the West Nile virus and was awaiting test results.

On Wednesday, Good Samaritan Hospital spokesman Joe Kelley said the hospital cannot release details about the patient's status. However, a spokesman from the Hamilton County Health District said the county has no confirmed human cases of West Nile.

As for Vincent, he is recovering a little more each day.

"Every day I can move my arm a little more or squeeze my hand a little bit more," he said. "It sounds silly, but these are milestones for me."

E-mail mdowns@enquirer.com